Entering the alienage
by Setrus
Summary: Alistair/PC. Anyone new to it would get quite a shock when entering an alienage, when that man is human, and his elf lover's family is there with her dark past he hasn't heard about...well that's just a new level of discomfort.


Alistair felt distinctly uncomfortable. In his shiny armour, a fiery sword on his back and his general size he had gotten used to sticking out among people, he was used with people looking at him and his friends.

But _here_ he stuck out so much that it wasn't even funny.

He'd never been in an alienage before, and Maker help him, he hoped he wouldn't have to be ever again. The place _stunk_! It wasn't so surprising considering the piles of refuse piling up in along the walls, or the way sludge seeped from it into the dirt they called a road. Even the walls were filthy, an odd mix of green and brown filth that seemed to be as much part of the walls as the bricks themselves.

Wooden structures had been erected here and there, some seemed to be stages, others seemed to be the only thing holding up the walls to the house they were built next to. There was a distinct feeling of the entire place...sinking, as if the ground beneath them was about to swallow this sick part of Denerim.

Not to mention the _people_! Alistair knew the elves in the alienages were poor but _this_...the greedy looks some of them shot him made him wonder what would happen if he put his sword away. The only ones who ignored him were obviously sick and uncaring of the world...as if they had already surrendered to the inevitable.

And those that weren't sick or planning to rob him... During his journey with Leanna Alistair had several times stumbled upon the moments where he got the impression that Leanna was _wrong_ to be an elf, that there was something wrong with _her_. Here it was the same...but aimed at him, he was wrong....wrong to be here, wrong to stand there in his fancy armour, wrong...for being human.

It made him feel small...and a little sympathetic to Leanna, it was impressive that she had taken such a situation with such calm, perhaps it was all about getting used to it?

Behind him he heard Morrigan mutter a curse, the witch leaning against a wall with one hand as the other pulled..._something_ off her shoe. Alistair couldn't bring himself to smile at it though, nor tease her, who knew what would happen if the shameless human actually spoke while in the alienage? He didn't care to find out.

Oghren seemed to take the surroundings with more of an even courage, then again he had probably woken up in his vomit enough times not to mind the smell...shifting the axe the dwarf regarded the mouldy buildings with an even gaze as he muttered: "Huh, this is worse than dust town, surface dwellers..."

"To think our intrepid leader was born in this cesspool." Morrigan shook her head...was she a little paler than usual? Alistair knew the witch didn't like the city much...but apparently she found this place a notch worse. She shot Alistair a glare as she noticed his staring. "What!?"

Shrugging Alistair managed to clear his throat. "Nothing, just wondering why the woman born out of a log would find being born here repugnant."

Morrigan's eyes became small in irritation, drawing a chuckle out of Alistair, bet Leanna would like to hear that joke back when they were...

Leanna...

Alistair blinked, eyes suddenly fastened on the red-headed little elf walking before him. With her tight leather armour and sporting two seizable daggers whose enchantments of electricity made her glow she stuck out from the surroundings just as much as he did. Yet there was a...familiarity with the surroundings as she walked.

For once she wasn't hurrying forward, all decisive and business, to fix whatever was amiss. Instead she was ambling forwards, her steps small. A hand slowly reached out, thin fingers coming up to brush along one of the wooden beams supporting a wall, a distant look on her face. If he squinted Alistair could see...notches in the beam? There were several dozen of them, all in different heights...oh.

Following he placed a armoured hand on the beam as he followed the elf, the notches...they were part of her history, he suddenly felt himself an intruder and withdrew his hand. Who had carved her height? Her father? Where was he...maker...Alistair would meet her _father_!? His nervousness suddenly grew to epic proportions, cold sweat running down his back...not that Leanna seemed to notice.

She seemed oddly...at ease, her eyes were distant, as was the smile as she looked over at a wall that looked just like any other wall. A tiny elf child stood by it, right in a puddle, bare feet splashing the brown water around, blond ponytail resting against a torn dress. Despite obviously playing the child wasn't laughing though, in fact she seemed to be pouting.

Alistair frowned, there was something in the air..._despair_.

Looking back he was sure Oghren and Morrigan was sensing the same thing, Morrigan looked a little miffed while Oghren seemed...well as if he wanted a stiff drink.

The only one seemingly unaware of this was Leanna, the elf's green eyes shining as she moved towards the seizable tree growing up right in the middle of the street. There was almost something...sombre about her as she stepped closer to the great tree, a hand reaching up, then gently coming to rest upon the gnarled trunk, as if she was afraid it would shatter if she pushed unto it too hard.

Stepping even closer Leanna came to rest her forehead against the trunk, it was barely audible, but Alistair could hear her softly exhaling...as if she was finally rid of some great weight.

"Why are we just sta-" Oghren's protest died mid-sentence by Alistair raising his hand, commanding silence. The dwarf grunted in irritation, but Alistair ignored it, watching intently as Leanna's shoulders dropped, the woman slowly raised her head, smile wide as she gazed up on the tree.

Should he say something? It was amazing, but he really didn't know much about Leanna's past, it wasn't as if he hadn't asked, but Leanna had always...somehow...gotten around it, the subject had always changed by some odd chance. Of course he knew it wasn't something pleasant to speak of, she had always looked a little...sad when dealing with other elves, as if they reminded her of something best forgotten.

Of course, who wouldn't want to forget about a dump like this? Alistair grimaced at the surroundings.

That's when the woman stiffened, ears visibly twitching,making Alistair come out of his own little reverie. Was there...shouting? Yes, a lot of it actually, just behind the tree. How had he missed that? "Hey guys...do you hear that?"

"Of course I bloody well hear it. That was what I was trying to say to you you pike-twirler!" Oghren growled, making Alistair groan even as Morrigan chuckled.

"Pike-twirler? Oh this I got to hear."

"No! No there's no time for that." Alistair hurriedly protested, his fear of meeting Leanna's father momentarily forgotten. "Right Leanna? We must continue onwards?"

For a moment the elf didn't reply, the woman only slowly stepping away from the tree, reluctantly. "...right." Instantly her shoulders stiffened, her chin raised, her knuckles cracking as she focused back on the present. Alistair wasn't sure he liked it, sure it was good with a leader that was all business, but to shove your emotions aside like that...just lock them away for when they came back to camp...it couldn't be good for you.

Rounding the tree they came to face a large crowd of poor-looking elves loudly trying to out-shout one another in protests as they faced a group of human mages, ably guarded by a trio of nervous-looking guards. One of the healers raised his hands, trying to bring some order to the chaos. "Please, we are doing all we can for the sick, there is no reason to alarm."

"I haven't seen my wife in a week!"

"My children have been there for days without me getting to even see them! I just want to give them some toys!"

"My brother has been gone for a month with no words! Is he dead or not!?"

"Don't listen to these humans! They're lying to us!" A sharp voice cut through the growling protests. The elf woman speaking up was as small as Leanna, her hair as dark red, she was almost the split image of her. Well, she didn't have the green eyes, nor that little dimple on her chin, or the little worry line just above...what was he thinking about now again? "They don't take _just_ sick people in! So why should we trust them when they say they're trying to contain the plague!?"

"Hey!" One of the other elves, a man looking so haggard that he would probably fall asleep the moment he was done talking protested. "My sister came back all fine."

"But was she sick from the start? She barely sniffled!" The red-headed elf argued, gestures sharp and angry. She sure had Leanna's spirit...

"Oh get out of here! You see a conspiracy wherever you look!"

"Your kind is a bunch of trouble makers anyway! Why won't you just go away and let us have some peace eh!?"

"Yeah! Get away you damn fool!"

Leanna visibly winced at the words, but didn't say anything as the crowd slowly dispersed, silently watching the other redhead glaring at the healers, both looking back at her evenly, unimpressed by her rage. Leanna took a slow step forward, hesitant. "Shi...Shianni?"

The elf turned, angry scowl momentarily passing by Alistair before... "Leanna!?" The woman shot forward, embracing the other elf in a tight hug, her eyes closed even as a wide smile begun to play on her face.

Leanna laughed, hands coming up to embrace the other elf after a moment of hesitation. "It's good to see you well cousin, I've been worried." Cousin, it was Leanna's cousin...Alistair found himself running a steel clad hand through his hair, no doubt making things worse.

"_You've_ been worried!" The elf pushed them apart and playfully slapped Leanna on the shoulder, smile so wide one would think her skull should split in two. "I was sure you were _dead_!" She shook her head, still smiling. "After hearing about Ostagar we all sort of assumed...thank the Maker you're alive!"

That got a snort out of Morrigan.

"And who are _these_?" Shianni was all eyebrows as she looked at the three standing behind Leanna. "A dwarf? _Humans_? Must be some adventure you're on..." There was a hint of...something in those words. It wasn't really displeasure or hatred...discomfort perhaps?

"These are my friends." Leanna replied, shooting a thumb towards the others. "Oghren's the dwarf, Morrigan and...Alistair."

"Right, right..." Shianni smiled, though it looked a little strained, she looked back at Leanna, the genuineness of her smile instantly returning. "Wow, I haven't seen you since your wedding."

"Wha...?" Alistair spoke out without realising it, making all look at him, Leanna looking a bit pensive. "You've ma-married? As in marriage?"

"The marriage never actually took place." Leanna replied, a...warning in her voice? Shianni didn't look so happy about the interruption either.

"Wh...but what happened?" Alistair couldn't stop himself from blurting out the question. All of a sudden his world was on the precipice, ready to plunge him into an abyss..._married_...Maker no.

Leanna eyes twitched in sudden irritation even as Shianni shirked away, eyes downcast. "Noble rapists, killed betrothal and a lot of suffering."

"Oh."

He could sense Morrigan inch closer, a smile in her whisper: "Nice going there charmer you..."

"Shut up!" He hissed back before facing the two elves, one which no doubt would make him eat his words later. "I...I'm sorry, I didn't realize..."

"They never do." Shianni muttered, smile weak. "Humans eh?"

"Give him a break, he's a good guy..." Leanna shot him a frown. "..._if_ a little slow on the uptake." Alistair tried his most apologetic look and raised his hands in surrender, somehow managing to draw a little chuckle out of her.

"_Really now_?" Shianni asked, arms crossed in front of her chest, eyebrow raised. "Serious Leanna...chuckling so easily? Who managed to crack you open like that?" Alistair felt his cheeks flush, it hadn't been _that_ hard...she had become quite kind after Ostagar and their struggle during the battle...as if the near death experience and their fighting together had somehow...soothed the rough person she had been before. Why was Shianni looking at him like that? "Oh you got to be kidding...?"

"We're not..." Leanna sighed, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. "Look, do you want to tell me what's going on?"

"We're not what?" Alistair asked, insecurity still digging into him, making Morrigan chuckle and the dwarf sigh in annoyance.

"_Discussing_ this." Leanna muttered, glowering at him, daring him to contradict her, much to Shianni's obvious enjoyment. "Now, Shianni...where's dad?"

The smile on Shianni's lips instantly faded, making the other elf take a step back, face pale, horror-stricken. No..._no_...Alistair felt his stomach drop, not more suffering, not for her...she wouldn't be able to..._no_! "We...should talk."

"Is he okay?" Alistair found himself blurting out the question, earning another glare from Leanna, though Shianni actually smiled this time.

"He's not dead if that's what you're asking human..." She hesitated. "...or, at least I don't think so..." She turned to Leanna, an arm wrapping itself around her cousins shoulders. "Come...lets talk."

"Wow, with so many foots in your mouth Alistair...how _do_ you manage to walk?" Morrigan quizzed, drawing a crude chuckle out of the dwarf.

"Yeah..." Alistair agreed, watching as the stiffly walking Leanna was lead aside by her cousin, head bowed as she listened to whatever the elf had to tell her. No doubt there was something wrong, he could _feel_ it, it wasn't right that Leanna would personally have to suffer for it though, hadn't she been through enough? It wasn't...fair. "...how do I do it?"


End file.
